Hello creamy, coconut goodness! This Vegan Coconut Cream Pie is made with homemade pie crust, a creamy coconut filling, and topped with vegan whipped cream. Pie, coconut, and whipped cream lovers won’t be able to get enough!
Dairy free coconut cream pie
This Vegan Coconut Cream Pie is a creamy, dreamy, and fluffy dessert that’s sure to make every coconut lover jump up and down with joy. You won’t believe how easy it is to make and how similar it is to the classic!
Just like my Banana Cream Pie, this vegan coconut cream pie recipe begins with a homemade vegan pie crust and a sweet, coconut-infused custard. It’s left to set in the fridge for a few hours before a layer of vegan whipped cream is piped on top. Decorated with shredded coconut, this thick and creamy pie is the perfect dessert to bring to spring and summer celebrations.
Do you and your guests a favor and make this pie with my Heavy Whipping Cream Substitution. It pipes beautifully and tastes like real whipped cream! Even if you aren’t a huge fan of coconut, you’re sure to get a kick out of the layer of cream on top.
If you love coconut desserts as much as I do, make sure to check out my Vegan Coconut Cake and Coconut Macaroons.
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- Vegan pie crust – You can use any pie crust you love. My homemade pie crust is easy to make and my gluten free pie crust works well too. If you’re in a rush, use a storebought vegan pie crust.
- Soy milk – Or any other dairy free milk.
- Cornstarch – Arrowroot or tapioca starch should also thicken the custard filling nicely.
- Coconut milk – Canned full fat coconut milk will produce the creamiest filling and is what makes the custard so nice and thick! Another full fat plant milk (like oat or cashew milk) should work instead but the custard won’t be quite as thick.
- Sugar – You can use coconut sugar for an added layer of coconut.
- Sweetened shredded coconut – This is optional but will give the pie an extra layer of coconutty goodness!
- Vanilla extract – For flavor and balance.
- Coconut extract – This is the third and final layer of coconut in the filling. Feel free to omit it if you can’t find it.
- Vegan whipped cream – My heavy whipping cream substitution is easy to pipe, very sturdy, and tastes deliciously sweet. Die-hard coconut fans should use coconut whipped cream instead. My aquafaba-based whipped cream whips up in just 5 minutes and is the best option when you’re in a rush.
- Toppings – Decorate the finished pie with coconut chips, coconut shavings, or sweetened shredded coconut.
How to make vegan coconut cream pie
Find the complete recipe with measurements below in the recipe card.
Are you using a homemade pie crust? Then it needs to be pre-baked first. Go ahead and skip this part if you’re using a cookie crust or storebought pie crust!
Roll out your pie crust and gently layer it into a pie plate. Press a layer of aluminum foil onto the crust and pour the pie weights (I use rice or sugar!) on top. Bake until it’s golden brown, then let it cool.
Now we can move on to the creamy coconut filling. Start by whisking the plant milk and cornstarch in a bowl. Next, pour the coconut milk, sugar, and the milk/cornstarch mixture into a saucepan on the stove. Bring it up to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer. Keep whisking until it thickens.
Take it off the heat and stir in the filling ingredients. Pour it into the baked and cooled pie crust and smooth out the top with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure to press it into the top of the custard. Let it set in the fridge for at least 3 or 4 hours.
Whipped cream is added at the end to give the pie a fluffy, creamy finish. Transfer your homemade or storebought whipped cream into a piping bag with a tip and pipe dollops on top of the coconut custard. Sprinkle the toppings of your choice on top, then serve and enjoy!
Tips for success
- The pie crust has to be pre-baked – It’s the only part of this recipe that’s cooked so it needs to be baked completely before we begin.
- No pie weights at home? Use sugar, rice, or dried beans instead. They can be reused for more vegan pie recipes, so be sure to keep them in a labeled jar or container for later.
- To turn this into a no bake dessert – Use a storebought pie crust. My favorite is the frozen vegan pie crust from Whole Foods.
- Let the pie chill in the fridge – Chilling the pie for 3 to 4 hours or even overnight in the fridge will ensure the filling is thick, set, and firm. The pie will be too liquidy if you skip this part.
- If you’re in a rush – Scoop large dollops of whipped cream on top of the pie instead of piping. It won’t look as fancy but this method is much easier and faster!
Frequently asked questions
- Is the pie gluten free? Only if you make it with a gluten free pie crust.
- Can you make it ahead of time? Absolutely! Just pour the filling into the baked pie crust, cover with plastic, and store in the fridge for 1 or 2 days. Don’t add the whipped cream until right before serving.
- How long does it last? The assembled coconut cream pie will only last for about 3 or 4 days in the fridge.
Want more dreamy vegan pies?
- Vegan Lemon Meringue Pie
- Vegan Peanut Butter Pie
- Perfect Vegan Apple Pie
- Boston Cream Pie
- Vegan Pumpkin Pie
- Vegan Chocolate Pie
Vegan Coconut Cream Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 Easy Vegan Pie Crust baked completely, see notes
Filling
- 3/4 cup soy milk or other plant milk
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- 13.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut optional
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
Whipped Cream and Toppings
- 2-4 cups Vegan Whipped Cream see notes
- coconut chips, coconut shavings or sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
Bake the crust
- If you use a cookie crust or store bought pre-baked crust, you can skip this part. The crust needs to be baked completely since we are putting a no bake filling into it.
- Prepare a vegan pie crust as instructed using my recipe. Once the pie crust is lined in the pie plate, line it with aluminum foil or parchment paper, fill to the top with pie weights, sugar, rice or dried beans. Bake for 60-70 minutes.
- Carefully remove the pie weights with the foil, and let the crust cool for about 20 minutes at room temperature.
Make the coconut cream filling
- Whisk the plant milk and cornstarch in a bowl or glass measuring cup until smooth.
- In a medium pot, add the coconut milk, sugar and milk/cornstarch mixture.
- Turn the heat to medium-high, and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and whisk constantly until it thickens.
- Immediately remove from heat and stir in the shredded coconut (optional), vegan butter, vanilla and coconut extract.
- Pour into the pie crust, and smooth with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap touching the top of the custard; this prevents a skin from forming on top of the custard. Place in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours to chill and thicken.
Top with whipped cream and serve
- Once the pie has chilled for 3-4 hours, prepare whipped topping of choice (or simply use store bought vegan whipped cream).
- Cover the pie with whipped topping, or use a piping bag and tip to pipe it on. This works best with my new recipe for Heavy Whipping Cream Substitution.
- Sprinkle with coconut chips, shaving or shredded coconut, if desired. Serve and enjoy! Keep leftover pie refrigerated for up to 3-4 days, covered.
Notes
- Nutrition Info – This is an estimate only, and will depend on what pie crust and whipped topping you use.
- Pie Crust – I prefer my Easy Vegan Pie Crust, but you may also use this Gluten Free Pie Crust or a store bought crust.
- Coconut Extract – You may leave this out if you can’t find it, but it adds quite a bit of flavor so use it if you can.
- Whipped Topping – Go make this easy whipped cream substitute if you can, it’s the absolute best! But another vegan whipped cream will work, even a store bought variety like So Delicious Coco Whip.
It was a huge hit with EVERYONE at Christmas Eve dinner! I used a store bought crust but will try it with your recipe next time.
That’s fantastic! Thanks for your wonderful review, Valerie!
Would you be able to make and freeze ahead of time?
Yes, you could freeze the pie.
I made this following the instructions to a T and it turned out amazing! I didn’t use salted vegan butter, I used unsalted, and then right before pouring the custard into the pie crust I tasted it and it needed a touch of salt so I added 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of salt and stirred it in and it was perfect! Everyone loved it.
So glad your pie turned out fantastic! Thanks for your terrific review and for sharing your cooking experience! Happy cooking!
The flavor of this pie is so good!! I followed the recipe and chilled the pie for about 8 hours. It did not set..ended up being more of a pudding with crust..lol! It was still delicious! Please help me figure out what went wrong. I’d really like to try again. I used almond milk in the recipe. It’s possible I didn’t let it thicken on the stove long enough. About how long on the stove or to what consistency?? Thanks Nora…love your recipes!!
I’m glad you liked the flavor, Teree! It’s hard to know what went wrong without being there but it’s possible that the filling wasn’t heated long enough on the stove. The heat will activate the cornstarch, which will thicken the filling and help it set as it cools. You’ll know it’s ready to come off the stove when it’s quite thick, like custard. I hope this helps!
I’ve been craving coconut cream pie and came upon your recipe. I didn’t exactly make this vegan and the process was easier than I thought. I didn’t have enough cornstarch so for the remaining I used tapioca starch. The filling thickened up nicely and I was excited to dig in after it cooled and fully set. Other modifications was by using a different pie crust recipe. I also made a coconut whipped cream topping using coconut cream 🥥. I added a splash of coconut and vanilla extract to it. Additionally I used toasted almond coconut milk instead of soy milk because that’s what I already had.
After cutting into it, I didn’t notice a defined coconut cream layer like in the picture. Though it was good, the cream and whipped cream layers almost looked as if it was one single layer, although the pie itself was quite filled and thick. All together it’s good and I can’t wait to make again in the near future.
Just to start, love your recipes. You are my go to for just about all things baked goods! If I can’t find it here, I’m cross referencing for sure lol. But I did have a quick question, wanted to do this today. But only thing I have in my pantry is Graham cracker crust at the moment. Would this work with Graham cracker crust?
Yes, I think that would go together well. And thank you so much! I’m happy to hear that. 🙂
Hi. Nora what is a healthy replacement for sugar in this recipe for the coconut cream pie and the banana cream pie ??
Do you think this recipe would work with coconut cream, instead of full fat coconut milk?
Yes, I think coconut cream will work just as well as coconut milk here.
Hi Nora!
My husband and I LOVE your recipes. Like.. we pretty much cook nothing but aaaall week long. You’re seriously a genius.
I made this pie yesterday but it turned out a loooot denser and more gelatinous than I imagine it should of.. wondering if you could help me figure out where I may have went wrong! I’d love to try making it again.
Thanks so much! (You’re seriously the best.)
Hi Ava, thank you SO much for using my recipes so often! Sorry to hear the pie didn’t work out the way you wanted. It’s hard to know what exactly went wrong without being there, but it’s possible too much cornstarch or overcooking the custard could be responsible for the gelatinous texture. I hope this helps!
I’ve never made a pie before – much less a vegan cream pie but this was SO easy and came out delicious. I used a store bought crust that stayed nice and crunchy under the coconut cream filling. The only thing that didn’t work for me is the linked whipped cream. It wouldn’t firm up. I ended up using some vegan heavy cream I had on hand and it all worked out but I would like to try your whipped cream recipe again.
The actual cream pie was yummy and was a hit with family and friends. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Holy smokes, Nora! This pie is the real deal! Coconut cream pie is THE ONE THING that I miss the most after switching to a plant-based diet. This was super easy to make and every bit as good as the original–maybe even better. Thank you for this brilliant recipe!
I’m so thrilled you love the pie! Thank YOU for sharing your wonderful feedback and review! Easy and delicious is my goal! Wishing you happy cooking!